1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of packaging machines and, more particularly, to packaging machines that utilize a plastic film directed from a plastic film roll to envelop and package a variable sized article. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for unfolding an elongate folded plastic film web for use in forming a plastic film tube which may then be used to envelop large articles such as bales of cotton, trash, cloth, etc.
2. Background
It is desirable to package and/or envelop bulk materials such as insulation, trash, cloth, scraps, recyclables, etc. that have been pre-bundled into a bale with a plastic film. However, such bales are typically fairly large and, as a consequence, require large sheets/webs of plastic film capable of surrounding the bales.
Plastic film is manufactured and is readily available in long/elongate webs which are wound and provided on rolls. The elongate web can be formed into a continuous elongate plastic film tube in a manner whereby articles can be inserted therein. The tube can then be separated and sealed between the articles for thereby enveloping the articles with the plastic film. The tube is formed by unwinding the plastic film from the roll and shaping it into a tube wherein the width of the web becomes the circumference of the tube (less any overlap of the web edges). Hence, the width of the tube establishes and is the limiting factor in the size/circumference of the plastic film tube. As can be appreciated, the width of the web must be fairly large to be able to form a sufficiently large size/circumference tube to envelop large articles such as the aforementioned bales.
Additionally, the width of the web as it is wound on the roll establishes the length of the roll. Excessively long rolls are difficult to produce, are bulky and become unmanageable. By folding the plastic film web along a longitudinal folded edge the length of the roll can be cut in half and the overall width of the web can be sufficient for forming a large enough size/circumference plastic film tube for enveloping large articles such as the aforementioned bales.
Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus and method of unfolding folded plastic film for use in forming a packaging plastic film tube.